Computing devices include a wide variety of items, including cellular telephones, smartphones, cameras, music and video players, tablets, personal computers, desktop computers, servers, etc. Such devices often include communications capabilities, including for voice and/or data communications, including text messaging, emails, facsimiles, etc. In addition, such devices may include web browser software for browsing Internet websites. Such devices often include the ability to download a wide variety of files from the Internet or other sources, including without limitation files including text, pictures, videos, music, spreadsheets, etc. The use of such devices to store and transmit valuable information has increased. For example, users may store tax returns, bank statements, credit card receipts, passwords for bank accounts, savings and retirement accounts, etc. In addition, valuable personal information may include personal health information, as well as other private information, such as personal correspondence and data.
As such, it has become important to have effective methods and systems to secure such information on various computing devices. Conventional approaches to providing security for such devices include the use of user names and passwords. For example, mobile devices may use a password consisting of a limited number of numeric digits. A password comprising only four numerals provides less security than a password with a greater number of characters. However, even alphanumeric passwords may be overcome or cracked. To protect the information on the device in such situations, it is desirable to make it as difficult as possible for the password to be overcome or cracked.
However, one problem with using a password is that it may be forgotten by a user. For example, if a password is the only way to gain access to privileged or secured data, forgetting the password will often mean that access to the data is lost forever.